Grumman G-44 accident near Nantucket, Massachusetts, August 25, 1994
On August 25, 1994 at about 7:07 pm local time, a Grumman G-44, registered N1471N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nantucket, Massachusetts. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH WATER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1994 · about 7:07 pm local time
- Place
- Nantucket, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-44 · all G-44s on the register
- Registration
- N1471N · no longer on the register · serial 1471N
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff, with the airplane 'on the step,' the pilot saw a swell coming towards the airplane from the left. The pilot stated that before he could reduce the power, the airplane veered to the right. He stated aileron input did not seem to upright the airplane so he then reduced the power. He stated the airplane impacted the water on the left side of its nose and then nosed over. Post accident examination of airframe and engines did not reveal any anomalies.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight engineer, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,498 hours in all; 191 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,145 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,176 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 2, 1994; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Strange Bird INC
The flight
- Departed from: HTO East Hampton NY at 4:00 am
- Destination: HTO NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from ACK, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.